Family, friends and work

[Celyn]

I’m stressing out really bad over this. Basically, I need to do work experience in a school to get on to a teacher training course next year. But I also really want to see my teacher friend. But because of the way my life is, I’m having a really bad time trying to sort out what I’m going to do. As some of you might know, my dad is ill. The week is structured like this:

Monday- dad goes to the day centre (mum doesn’t work)
Tuesday- mum goes to work in the afternoon, dad has a sitter in the afternoon
Wednesday- dad goes to the day centre (mum in work all day)
Thursday- Mum with dad (mum doesn’t work)
Friday- mum goes to work in the afternoon, dad has a sitter in the afternoon

So when I’m not in uni, on a Tuesday I am here to wait for the sitter in case they are later, so mum can go to work without being late. I then have to be back by 3:30. Same for Friday. On a Wednesday, I stay with dad to wait for the ambulance to pick him up in the morning, whilst my mum goes to work. This is important as the ambulance does not have a set time e.g. last Wednesday it came at 9:30, on Monday it came at 10:45 and today it came at 10:00 and my mum starts work at 9. It’s the same when they drop my dad off in the afternoon they can come any time between 2:50 and 4:30, so I have to be here. I have Thursday free, and technically Monday, but because my mum is free on a Monday as well, if she needs to go out shopping, then I’m here to wait for the ambulance.

So the only day I can do work experience is a Thursday. I need a minimum of 5 days. The school that I had hoped to go to phoned the other day and told me I couldn’t go there. There are other schools in my area, but I get so anxious on the phone, and I dread that none of the schools will be able to have me, especially as I can’t be very flexible.

I counted there are 12 Thursdays left until schools finish for the summer (not including this Thursday...5 until half term and 7 after half term). Next week and the week after, I’m in uni. I get Thursdays off, so I might phone around then. So that takes it down to 10. This leads to the next problem. I don’t know if I should try and get some work experience done now or later. I really want to see my teacher friend as well. Last year, she hinted about seeing her, but I screwed it up. It’s hard the way my life is but it will be even harder with work experience. So I don’t know what to do. Should I phone around in the next few weeks to see if any of the schools would take me on? Should I do the full 10 Thursdays (which would make it difficult to see my teacher friend) or do 5? Or should I see my teacher friend first and then focus on work experience? Bearing in mind last year, my teacher friend hinted at the end of may, before half term, so if I had seen her, it would’ve been in June or July, so she probably won’t be busy then, but might be busy now. I have assignments to do now as well. I don’t want to leave work experience until after half term because if none of the schools take me on what then? I could ask my teacher friend but I don’t want to bother her. Especially if I haven’t seen her before hand, because I reckon I will be really nervous around her. I don’t know if I have anxiety issues as I have never been diagnosed.

I just feel really stressed. I wish things were normal. Like my friends. They have the summer off but they can do any day/s for work experience. I’m limited. I get anxious on the phone and I feel like I can’t go to anyone for advice because nobody understands or cares. It’s my teacher friends birthday on Saturday. I wanted to email her letting her know when I finish uni, so she could take that as a hint (since I don’t have the outright confidence or time schedule to ask her if I could see her). But I feel like I can’t because I don’t know what I'm going to do about work experience, and I don’t want to let her down like last year. My mum isn't very supportive of me doing work experience. Everytime I bring it up she ignores me or says things like "Schools aren't open in the summer". I dread telling her that I want to see my teacher friend as well. Any help or suggestions would be great. Feel free to move this since I couldn't make up my mind which section it should go in. Also sorry for the length.

[justdatdude]

There are some schools that will have you, even if your schedule is tied up. You work harder than the average person, this will make you a much, much, much better person in the long run, that is something to be proud of. Knowing that you can take a challenge. Though, feeling like no one cares and understands is a major sign of stress and pressure. Its okay, though, many people are in situations like this, they need to do one thing, but too little time to do it in. Just relax, you will be okay. Just need to calm down and be relaxed on the phone and when you visit people. It'll be okay, you just need to "keep calm and carry on" and you will succeed in whatever you want, so remember. Keep Calm, Carry On, and Good luck

[Celyn]

Thank you for replying!

I'm trying to be calm

I'm just worried that no school will take me on. But I decided I will pick up the strength and phone around next thursday and ask